Question

What is the index of refraction?

Answer 1

The index of refraction of a material is a ratio that compares the speed of light in a vacuum (`c = 3.00 x 10^8 m/s`) to the speed of light in that particular medium.

It can be calculated, if one knows the speed of light in that medium, using the formula

As the index of refraction increases, the amount that the material bends the light increases.